Liberals and democracy

Liberalism and democracy

- Liberal democracy - dominant political force in developed world and increasingly in developing world

- Form of political rule that balances limited gov. with popular consent

- Internal & external checks on government - guarantees liberty and protects individual from the state (snake and porcupine) 

- Constitutional gov. based on rules

- Regular & competitive elections

- Universal suffrage = everybody having a vote

- Political equality

- System of checks and balances

- Political pluralism - the electorate has a choice and there is competition between parties

- People have independence from government in society

- Capitalist economy organised along market lines

Liberals are ambivalent towards democracy

- They promote individualism…